EP0144660B1 - Electric connection device, like a socket, for electric consumers - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to an electrical connection device with supply lines for electrical _' consumers, such as a socket, a multiple plug connection, a connection distributor, an adapter plug or the like. With a circuit breaker, the mechanical contacts of which are movable between an on and off position, with a sensor for monitoring the penetration of liquid into the consumer, the sensor consisting of an open electrical double conductor, which is arranged in the intended handling of the consumer and, if applicable, the connecting device in inaccessible edge areas of the housing openings and housing joints of the associated housing and which is wetted with penetrating liquid changed its electrical impedance, and with a protective circuit included in the connection device, which causes the contacts of the circuit breaker to open when the penetration of liquid is detected by the sensor.

DE-A-2 631 785 describes an electrical connection device (auxiliary control device with mains plug) with supply lines for an electrical consumer with a circuit breaker, the mechanical contacts of which can be moved between an entry and an exit, with a sensor for monitoring the penetration of liquid into the Consumer, wherein the sensor consists of an open electrical double conductor, which is arranged in the intended manual handling of the consumer and the connecting device in inaccessible edge areas of the housing openings of the associated housing and which changes its electrical impedance when wetted with penetrating liquid (water), and with a Protection circuit contained in the connection device, which causes the contacts of the circuit breaker to open permanently when the penetration of liquid is detected by the sensor.

Furthermore, EP-A1-0 088 390 has disclosed a protective device for electrical consumers with a circuit breaker whose mechanical contacts can be moved between an on and off position, with a sensor for monitoring the penetration of liquid into the consumer, the sensor being off there is an open electrical double conductor, which is arranged in the intended handling of the consumer in inaccessible marginal areas of housing openings and housing joints of the associated housing and which changes its electrical impedance when wetted with penetrating liquid and with a protective circuit. The circuit breaker and the protective circuit are designed in such a way that, when the circuit breaker is in the switched-on position, its movable contacts are always exposed to a pretensioned propellant, which transitions them to the switch-off position, but this movement of the propellant is inhibited by a meltable material. The meltable material is arranged in the area of an electrically heatable member (heating member) of an ignition circuit connected to the supply lines and having a semiconductor switch, at the input of which the double conductor is located and which ignites the semiconductor switch when the electrical impedance of the double conductor is a certain one Liquid wetting is below the limit to be attributed.

The driving means of this known circuit breaker consists of a spring preload on the movable contacts, which drives the contacts in the off position when triggered.

The meltable material can be an electrical current-conducting wire that forms the electrical heating element in the ignition circuit itself and, in the case of ignition, can be heated above its melting temperature, or it can be an adhesive that connects the propellant to the electrical heating element and indirectly through it the current flow in the heating element can be heated beyond its melting temperature.

The previously known electrical connection devices of the type mentioned indeed solve their intended task of protecting the user of the electrical connection device from damage occurring. However, they do not offer the possibility of checking whether the connection device is fully effective without permanently destroying the circuit breaker.

The invention has for its object to develop a connection device of the type mentioned in the generic term, the penetration of conductive liquids such. B. water, responds reliably and so quickly to the consumer that an accident risk for people coming into contact with it is excluded with certainty. Furthermore, the possibility is to be created of being able to check the effectiveness of the connection device without having to trigger the circuit breaker.

This is achieved according to the invention by the measures listed in the characterizing part of claim 1. Because the sensor is located as an open electrical double conductor at all those points on the device housing where the penetrating liquid first appears, a very quick response is achieved. The device is switched off before the liquid reaches the live parts. For this purpose, they are always just as important in the direction of the switch-off position as the driving means for moving the contacts, as is the meltable material which inhibits these driving elements in the switch-on position. The ignition circuit indirectly or directly heats the meltable material above the melting temperature after a few milliseconds and triggers the switch-off movement of the propellant.

It is particularly important that the connection device can be checked for its full effectiveness without having to trigger the circuit breaker. Such a check is possible in a convenient and reliable manner by providing a test switch at the input of the ignition circuit and coupling it to a main switch located in the supply line. In the test case, the test switch short-circuits the input of the ignition circuit, but the main switch coupled to it will first interrupt the supply line leading to the ignition circuit and possibly to the electrical consumer and instead switch on limiting resistors in an auxiliary line leading to the ignition circuit in parallel with the interrupted supply line. Melting of the meltable material is now prevented because the heating current is reduced by the limiting resistors. This heating current, which is generated at a defined level, also starts a control display that shows the full functionality of all electrical components of the circuit breaker. Such a control display can, for. B. consist of a control lamp that lights up when the test switch is activated and documents the full protective effect of the device.

The meltable material, which inhibits the movement of the driving means mentioned, can, as a conductive material, be a wire carrying the electrical current, which is built into the ignition circuit itself as an electrical heating element and, in the event of ignition, is heated above its melting temperature. Alternatively, there is also the possibility of using the meltable material as an adhesive, which the adhesive, z. B. connects the isolating wedge in its rest position with an electric heating element and is heated indirectly by its heating in the event of ignition above its melting temperature.

There is EP-A2-0139301 with the same priority date and similar content from the same applicant.

• Fig. 1 und 2 die Draufsicht und Seitenansicht eines nach der Erfindung gestalteten Anschlußgeräts, nämlich einer Mehrfachsteckleiste,
• Fig. 3 und 4 in Draufsicht und Schnittansicht längs der Schnittlinie IV-IV des einen Betätiger aufweisenden Bereiches des Anschlußgeräts von Fig. 1 bzw. 2,
• Fig. 5 schematisch einen zur erfindungsgemäßen Zündschaltung gehörenden selbstöffnenden Schalter in Schnittansicht, wobei die Schnittführung aus der Schnittlinie V-V von Fig. 6 zu erkennen ist, und zwar in Einschaltstellung des Schalters,
• Fig. 6 eine schematische Draufsicht auf den Schalter von Fig. 5 in Einschaltstellung,
• Fig. 7 eine der Fig. 5 entsprechende Schnittansicht des Schalters, wobei sich aber seine Kontakte in Ausschaltstellung befinden und
• Fig. 8 eine beim erfindungsgemäßen Anschlußgerät verwendete Schutzschaltung.

In the drawings, the invention is shown in one embodiment. Show it :

• 1 and 2, the top view and side view of a connecting device designed according to the invention, namely a multiple connector strip,
• 3 and 4 in plan view and sectional view along the section line IV-IV of the area of the connecting device of Fig. 1 and 2 having an actuator,
• 5 schematically shows a self-opening switch belonging to the ignition circuit according to the invention in a sectional view, the sectional view being evident from the section line VV of FIG. 6, specifically in the switch-on position,
• 6 is a schematic plan view of the switch of FIG. 5 in the on position,
• Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the switch corresponding to Fig. 5, but with its contacts in the off position and
• Fig. 8 is a protective circuit used in the connection device according to the invention.

The connecting device according to the invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as a multiple connector strip 10, which has a plurality of plug receptacles 11 for the electrical consumer no longer shown and can be connected to a power source via a connecting line 12 and a connector 13. On the outside of the housing 14 of the device 10 there is a handle 15, which can be adjusted with the aid of a mark 16 between three working positions identified by counter marks 17, 18, 19. On the housing 14 there is also a control lamp 20 which lights up in the one working position 19 when the full functionality of all relevant electrical components is present, as will be described in more detail.

The protective circuit 72 according to the invention is located inside the housing 14 within a watertight encapsulation indicated by the dash-dotted line 21. The interchangeable network connections 22, 23 coming from the mentioned connecting line 12 are included in the encapsulation 21 and go via the movable or stationary contacts 25 , 27 and 24, 26 of a self-opening mechanical switch 31 in supply lines 28, 29 to which the receptacle contacts 30 belonging to the various plug receptacles 11 are connected outside the encapsulation 21. These contacts 24 to 27 are located on the input side of the circuit 72, so that when the switch 31 is opened, both the protective circuit and the electrical consumers connected to the plug receptacles 11 are completely free of voltage. The protective circuit with its components is expediently applied to a printed circuit board. The circuit comprises a bridge with diodes 32, 33, 34, 35, in the diagonal of which a resistance element consisting of a meltable wire 37 and a thyristor 38 with a protective capacitor 58 connected in parallel are arranged after a series resistor 36. The protective capacitor 58 prevents the thyristor from igniting overhead.

Another resistor 39 and capacitor 40 connected in parallel serve to protect against interference pulses. Via two high-impedance resistors 41, 42, input lines 45, 46 are connected, which are connected for connecting double lines 43, 44 and 43 ', 44' of sensors responsive to penetrating liquid. The double line, 43, 44, is arranged on the edge areas of housing openings and housing joints in the electrical consumer, which are inaccessible when the device is handled correctly and changes its electrical impedance when wetted with penetrating liquid, such as water. To connect these sensor lines 43, 44 on the consumer side, the input lines 45, 46 are in the area of the plug receptacles 11 of the connection devices 10 1 and 2 not shown in detail, but recognizable from Fig. 8 provided contact points 49 which lead via coupled connecting lines 47, 48 to these sensor lines 43, 44 in the consumer. These connecting lines 47, 48 are expediently combined as a four-pole overall line with the supply lines 28, 29 which are routed behind the receiving contacts 30. Corresponding monitoring could also take place in the area of the housing 14 on the connection device 10, which is why there are, in an analogous manner, double lines 43 ', 44', which are also provided on the input lines 45, 46, on the normally inaccessible inner edge areas of the housing openings and housing joints the circuit are connected. Finally, a normally always open test switch 50 is also arranged on the two input lines 45, 46 and can also be actuated in a certain working position from the handle 15 located on the housing 14.

When the connecting device 10 is in use, the handle 15 is brought into a working position “ON”, for which the top counter mark 17 of FIG. 3 is decisive. In this uppermost sliding position of the handle 15, a main contact 52 and device contact 53 shown in FIG. 8 are conductively connected in the associated switch housing 51 from FIG. 4. At the same time, however, the touch handle on the test switch 50 is locked. This is accomplished by a suitable coupling and arrangement of these elements. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, this is achieved in that the test switch 50, which is normally in a disconnected position with its contacts, is arranged with its pushbutton actuator 55, inaccessible in the housing 14, at a defined distance from a shoulder 54 of the sliding handle 15. As a result, the thyristor 38 is blocked in the protective circuit. The electrical consumer can be operated normally.

If, in use, the housing of the electrical consumer comes into contact with conductive liquid which, as indicated in FIG. 8 by the drop 56, wets the double line 43, 44, voltage reaches the gate line via the sensor double line 43, 44 57 of thyristor 38 and ignites it. Then a maximum current of z. B. 2 amps through the diagonal of the bridge circuit between the two supply lines 28, 29 and causes the wire 37 to melt. Due to the active connection indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 8 of the self-opening mechanical switch 31 comprising the fuse wire 37, both contacts 25, 27 open almost instantaneously, whereby the power supply to the consumer in both supply lines 28, 29 is interrupted.

The same protective effect is obtained if, in the case of the sensor 43 ', 44' on the connecting device 10, the conductive connection which can be recognized by the drop 56 'indicated in FIG. 8 is obtained.

The extraordinarily fast switch-off results from the special construction of the self-opening switch 31, which can be seen in FIGS. 7 to 7, the essential components of which are only shown schematically there. The mechanically movable contacts 24 to 27 are pressed against one another by a spring load 59 and are thereby held in the contact position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Aligned with the contact area 60 of the two contact sets 24, 25 and 26, 27, the path of movement of a separating wedge 61 made of insulation material is arranged with its wedge tip 62 when the protective circuit is in the switch-on position shown in FIG. 8. Although the separating wedge 61 tends to be driven into the contact area 60 of the contacts 24 to 27 due to a force exerted by a spring 63 or the like in the direction of the movement arrow 64, it is prevented from doing so by the fuse wire 37 which connects it holding back the load. One end of the fuse wire 37 is attached to the separating wedge 61, while the other end has a fixed anchor point 65. In this contact position of the contacts 24 to 27, the prestressed separating wedge 61 is in a rest position outside the contact area 60 of the contacts.

If an error is now reported by the sensor 43, 44 or 43 ', 44', the thyristor 38 is ignited and the fuse wire 37 is destroyed as shown in FIG. 7, the separating wedge 61 snaps into the contact area 60 of the contacts, relieving the spring 63 loading it 24 to 27 and thereby prevents from the outset a time-delaying arc between the opening contacts 24, 25 or 26, 27. The insulation material of the separating wedge 61 shields the contacts from one another from the outset. An effective separation position of the movable contacts 24, 25 shown in FIG. 7 occurs against the spring load 59 thereof practically immediately.

In order to steer this retraction movement of the separating wedge 61 into the contact area 60, guide surfaces can be provided. In the present case, these are indicated by simple side flanges 66 on the separating wedge 61, which can slide along the contacts 24 to 27. Of course, other guide means, such as slide rails, can also be provided. In the disconnected position of these contacts 24 to 27, the supply lines 28, 29 leading to the consumer are de-energized. An electrical accident is therefore impossible.

3 and 4, the switch 51 can also have the working position “OFF at the middle counter mark 18, in which the mains voltage to the electrical consumer is interrupted, even if it remains electrically coupled to the connection device 10. The position of the contact elements shown in FIG. 8 is then normally present. The main contact 52 remains closed, but the device contact 53 is now open and thus interrupts the associated supply line 28. Although a corresponding device contact is also present in the other supply line 29 and could act together with it, this effort is normally not necessary, since it already does of the circuit shown in FIG. 8, an electrical accident is also effective in this switching position prevented. If there is a reduction in the impedance due to penetrating water 56 or 56 'in the case of the double sensor lines 43, 44 or 43', 44 ', the ignition of the thyristor 38 and the melting of the wire described above occur via the closed main contact 52 37 a, which opens the biased switch 31 in the manner described.

Finally, the sliding handle 15 can be transferred to a lowermost working position TEST, which is identified in FIG. 1 by the lowermost counter mark 19. Already at the transition to this end position, the main contact 52 is opened in addition to the already interrupted device contact 53. Finally, in the end position, the shoulder 54 of the pushbutton actuator 55 of the test switch 50 is pressed back against its spring tension 67, which is indicated in FIG. 4 and normally leads to the inactive position, and closes the contact between the input lines 45, 46 shown in FIG. 8 Although the one supply line 28 is separated from the bridge circuit of the diodes 32 to 35 which remains connected to the other supply line 29, there is, as shown in FIG powered.

A limiting resistor 69, a protective diode 70 and a light-emitting diode 71 are connected in series in this auxiliary line 68. If the downward movement of the sliding handle 15 into the working position “TEST” of the pushbutton actuators 55 is now fully pressed in further execution and thus the two input lines 45, 46 are connected, the thyristor 38 ignites again, but it is now the one flowing through it and thus the fuse wire 37 The heating current is reduced by the limiting resistor 69 to such an extent that there is no temperature increase melting the wire material. The heating wire 37 thus remains undamaged in this test case. However, the heating current is of a defined level if the components of the protective circuit 72, in particular the wire 37 and the Thyristor 38 are fully functional, because then the diode (LED) 71 lights up. In the present case, the switch 51 is designed as a combination of the button 50 with the various main and device contacts 52, 53, as was explained, but it would be possible to combine these components with one another in another way, e.g. in a total switching summarize it or provide it in separate switches. In the latter case, the sliding actuator could, for example, switch the main and device contacts 52, 53, but would no longer interact with the test switch 50, but would make its push button actuator 55 inaccessible to the device user by means of a label. Only when the lowest position of the slide is reached is the shield moved so far that the button actuator 55 located below is manually accessible. Finally, it would also be possible to lock the pushbutton actuator in the other working positions of the handle 15 by means of bolts or the like.

The switching sequence of the various contacts described above is significant, which is shown in the following table for a better overview, the symbol (+) indicating a conductive connection and the symbol (-) indicating the non-conductive connection in the respective working position of the three switching points:

Instead of the self-opening switch 31 shown, it would also be possible to use a switch with spring contacts, which are biased by the internal voltage in the switched-on position of the protective circuit in contact position, but which endeavor to pass into a separating position after a wire or a meltable material has melted due to their spring action.

With the invention it is possible to achieve an extremely short time for triggering the electrical circuit and for completely opening the mechanical switch, which is of the order of a few milliseconds. During this time, the water cannot reach the other live parts in the endangered electrical consumer or in the connection device itself.

4, the handle 15 is held in its "OFF • -working position by a return spring 73. If the handle 15 is released after being moved into the “TEST” working position, it will automatically move back into the “OFF” starting position.

Reference symbol list:

• 10 multiple connector strip, connection device
• 11 socket
• 12 mains connection
• 13 plugs
• 14 housing
• 15 handle
• 16 mark
• 17 counter mark (ON)
• 18 counter mark (AUS)
• 19 counter mark (TEST)
• 20 control lamp
• 21 encapsulation
• 22 Mains connection
• 23 Mains connection
• 24 contact
• 25 contact
• 26 contact
• 27 contact
• 28 supply line
• 29 supply line
• 30 contact
• 31 ^g self-opening mechanical switch
• 32 diode
• 33 diode
• 34 diode
• 35 diode
• 36 series resistor
• 37 fuse wire
• 38 thyristor
• 39 resistance
• 40 capacitor
• 41 resistance
• 42 resistance
• 43, 43 'first double line
• 44, 44 'second double line
• 45 input line
• 46 input line
• 47 connecting line
• 48 connecting line
• 49 contact point
• 50 test switches
• 51 switch housing for 15
• 52 main contact
• 53 Device contact
• 54 shoulder to 15
• 55 push buttons of 50
• 56, 56 'drops
• 57 gate line of 38
• 58 protective capacitor
• 59 spring loading
• 60 touch range from 24 to 27
• 61 wedge
• 62 chisel tip
• 63 spring
• 64 movement arrow of 61
• 65 anchorage of 37
• 66 flange
• 67 spring tension
• 68 auxiliary line
• 69 Limiting resistance
• 70 protection diode
• 71 light emitting diode (LED)
• 72 ignition circuit
• 73 return spring

Claims (5)

1. An electrical connection device (10) having supply lines (28, 29) for electrical loads such as a plug socket, a multiple plug connection, a connection distributor fitment, an adaptor plug or the like, comprising an automatic circuit breaker (31) whose mechanical contacts (24, 25, 26, 27) are movable between closed and open positions, a sensor (43, 44 ; 43', 44') for monitoring the penetration of liquid into the load, wherein the sensor comprises an open electrical double conductor (43, 44 ; 43', 44') which, when the load and possibly the connecting device are handled as directed, is arranged in inaccessible edge regions of openings and joins of the associated housing (14) and which changes its electrical impedance upon wetting (56 ; 56') with liquid which has penetrated, and a protective circuit which is contained in the connecting device and which causes permanent opening of the contacts (24, 25 ; 26, 27) of the automatic circuit breaker (31) when the penetration of liquid is detected by the sensor, characterised in that in the closed position of the automatic circuit breaker (31) whose movable contacts (24, 25 ; 26, 27) are admittedly always subjected to a biased driving means (61) for moving them automaticaly (63) into the open position, said movement (64) is prevented by a fusible material (37), wherein the fusible material is arranged in the region of an electrically heatable member (heating member 37) of a firing circuit which is connected to the supply lines (28, 29) and which has a semiconductor switch (38) and to the input (45, 46) of which the double conductor (43, 44 ; 43', 44') is connected and which fires the semiconductor switch (38) when the electrical impedance of the double conductor (43,44 ; 43', 44') falls below a given'limit value which is to be attributed to wetting by a liquid, wherein provided at the input (45, 46) of the firing circuit is a test switch (50) with a main switch (52) which is coupled thereto and which is disposed in the supply line (28), and wherein in the case of a test the test switch (50) may short-circuit the input (45, 46) of the firing circuit, but the main switch (52) precedingly interrupts the supply line leading to the firing circuit and possibly to the electrical load and causes limiting resistors (69) to be cut in, in an auxiliary line (68) going in parallel to the main switch (52), wherein the limiting resistors (69) reduce the electrical heating current for heating the fusible material (37) to such an extent that the material temperature remains below its melting temperature, and only the heating current which occurs upon full operability of the electrical components (69, 37, 38, 41, 42, 32, 33, 34, 35) of the firing circuit, sets a monitoring display (71) in operation.

2. A connecting device according to claim 1 characterised in that the drive means of the automatic circuit breaker (31) comprises spring biasing for the movable contacts (24, 25, 26, 27), which drives the contacts into the open position in the triggered condition.

3. A connecting device according to claim 1 characterised in that the contacts (24, 25, 26, 27) of the automatic circuit breaker (31) are spring-loaded (59) towards each other in the direction of contact, and the drive means comprises a separating wedge (61) of insulating material, which can be introduced into the region of contact (60) between the contacts (24, 25, 26, 27) and which, although being force-loaded in the direction of said introduction movement (64), is retained - in the closed position of the automatic circuit breaker (31) - in a rest position outside the contact region (60) by the fusible material (37).

4. A connecting device according to one or more of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the fusible material is a wire (37) which carries the electrical current and which forms the electrical heating member in the firing circuit (72) itself and which in the event of firing can be heated beyond its melting temperature.

5. A connecting device according to one or more of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the fusible material is an adhesive which joins the drive means to the electrical heating member and which can be heated beyond its melting temperature indirectly by the flow of current in the heating member.

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